Sunday, October 08, 2006

As a college student, I'm often shocked by the lack of respect people show during classes. I understand that you pay $48,000 a year to go here, but that does not give you the right to eat an entire plate of barbeque chicken wings (on a real plate, with real silverware, no less) while I'm trying to focus on the lecture and take notes on Rousseau's "Social Contract". I watch people take off their shoes or sandals and put their naked feet on the chair in front of them, eat a bag of noisy bag of potato chips, clean out their fingernails and flick the dirt onto the floor and stroll into the room 15 minutes late every single class (you're not Jeff Spicoli and it's not amusing). Also, I know I go to a hippie college but not bathing before class is unacceptable. The 1960's are over and cleanliness has been in style ever since.

Yes, you are paying a lot of money to attend this class, but so am I, so clean up your act!

Here are some basic rules for acting appropriately in a college class:

Try to get there on time, but if you can't, enter the room quietly and take the seat nearest the door. Avoid making a scene.

If you need a snack, bring something that is quiet and can be eaten quickly without any mess or gross smells, like a muffin or a granola bar.

Keep your shoes on.

Don't come to class straight from the gym.

Don't waste people's time with pointless comments or questions.

Put your cell phone on silent or turn it off BEFORE you come to class.

If the class is small and everyone is sitting around a table, be especially aware of what you're doing, because everyone else can see and will not appreciate that you're picking your nose.

In general, respect other people's personal space. Give them enough room and don't distract them from focusing on the class by doing any of the things I've mentioned. No one should have to spend 2 hours stuck next to someone acting rude. If someone acts disrespectful repeatedly and it's making going to the class an unpleasant experience, e-mail the professor and let him/her know how you feel. He/she probably feels the same way and is happy to have an excuse to tell the person to stop.